Betty Ford, Former First Lady, Dies at 93  —  Betty Ford, the outspoken and much-admired wife of President Gerald R. Ford who overcame alcoholism and an addiction to pills and helped found one of the best-known rehabilitation centers in the nation, died Friday in Palm Springs, Calif. She was 93.

Obama turns to small-scale solutions to a weak economy  —  The White House, threatened by the high unemployment rate, proposes free-trade agreements and more spending on high-speed rail in the absence of more ambitious tools, such as stimulus spending.  —  President Obama delivers a statement …

Rep. Ryan Tastes The Grapes Of Wrath  —  Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), a leading advocate of shrinking entitlement spending and the architect of the plan to privatize Medicare, spent Wednesday evening sipping $350 wine with two like-minded conservative economists at the swanky Capitol Hill eatery Bistro Bis.

Obama calls for a ‘balanced approach,’ sacrifices in debt deal  —  As the debate intensifies over raising the debt ceiling and kick-starting the economy, President Obama attempted to rise above the fray in his weekend address.  —  “We can meet our fiscal challenge,” the president said.

Worst President Ever, Revisited  —  No, I'm not ready to crown Barack Obama the Worst President Ever just yet, but consider this:  —  Yes, George W. Bush wrecked our economy, destroyed New Orleans, turned a budget surplus into massive deficits, ignored warnings of a major terrorist attack …

Following Controversy Over Pledge, Family Leader Clarifies Anti-Porn Statement  —  GOP presidential candidates Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum both signed a candidate pledge by the influential social conservative group THE FAMiLY LEADER which ThinkProgress, ABC, the Washington Post …

I Received ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy at Marcus Bachmann's Clinic  —  TWO Exclusive Investigative Report by John M. Becker  —  The date was Thursday, June 30, 2011.  I turned on the television and listened half-heartedly to the commercials as I busied about doing other things.

President Obama Receiving Sycophantic Laughter  —  While President Obama certainly has an above-average sense of humor for a politician — easy-going, self-effacing, maybe a little corny at times — he's not known as one of the planet's foremost comedians.  Yet photographic evidence compiled …

Our Excuser-In-Chief  —  We haven't yet said anything about today's disastrous employment news.  What is to be said?  Unemployment is up to 9.2%, with underemployment much higher.  A mere 18,000 jobs were added in June, less than one-fifth of what economists expected.

Trailing G.O.P. With Cameras, Seeking Gaffes  —  AMHERST, N.H. — Aaron Fielding quietly stalks his prey — Republicans — with his video camera, patiently waiting for a political moment worthy of YouTube.  —  At 27, he is a full-time “tracker” for American Bridge 21st Century …

Leon Panetta goes to Afghanistan  —  KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. and its allies are within reach of defeating al-Qaeda after killing Osama bin Laden and gaining new insights about the terrorist group's other leading figures, new U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Saturday.

No, Seriously: No Excuses  —  In the early days of the education-reform movement, a decade or so ago, you'd often hear from reformers a powerful rallying cry: “No excuses.”  For too long, they said, poverty had been used as an excuse by complacent educators and bureaucrats who refused …

Charting Our Policy Insanity  —  Just to say what should be obvious: unemployment is extremely high by historical standards, while interest rates are very low.  Yet unemployment has almost disappeared from policy discussion, which is preoccupied with the need to appease hypothetical bond vigilantes.

Queens Democratic Party boss lives in northern Virginia  —  He may be the king of Queens, but the borough's Democratic Party boss has his castle in Virginia.  —  Rep. Joe Crowley, who has the power to remake the political landscape in the borough — as when he handpicked a candidate yesterday …